Cool things to do in the week ahead

Each year, MASS MoCA picks a day to swing open its doors and let everyone in for free as a way to thank patrons for their support. This year, that day is Saturday. The modern art museum will offer tours of its galleries every half hour, demonstrations, art-making activities in its Kidspace and gallery areas, and a free photo booth. Ice cream tastings will be held in the afternoon. There’s a party at night, but that’s not free. The museum will host its Bhangra Funk Dance Party, featuring brassy Bhangra funk band Red Baraat. Tickets ($20) can be bought at the door, but you’ll save $4 if you buy in advance. 11 a.m. galleries; 8 p.m. dance party. Saturday. Museum admission is free. Dance party: $20 adults; $10 students; free for kids under age 12. Hunter Center, MASS MoCA, 87 Marshall St., North Adams, Mass. 413-662-2111; http://www.massmoca.org

It’s almost time to welcome the year of the Rabbit. That’s the next sign in the Chinese zodiac, the fourth in a cycle of 12 animals that represent the Chinese year. The Rabbit will usher out the year of the Tiger on Feb. 3, which is when the new Chinese New Year is set to begin. Well, almost a year, anyway. The Year of the Rabbit, which Chinese lore says will be a peaceful year, ends on Jan. 22, 2012. The Chinese Community in the Capital Region is throwing its New Year celebration a little early this year, but it won’t lack any of the fanfare Chinese New Year celebrations are known for. The annual event will feature traditional Chinese drama, dance, music, comedy, song and even Chinese opera. 3 p.m. Saturday. $30-$35. The Egg, Empire State Plaza, Albany. 473-1845; http://www.theegg.org

People who ride horses don’t just think snow in the winter. They also think about riding horses — although not necessarily in the snow. Most riders get in the saddle indoors, which is where the Route 67 Country Store & Café is set to hold the first in its series of equine-related seminars for riders and horse owners alike. Connie G., an equine sports massage therapist from Helping Hands Equine Massage, and Sarah Nickel, the Warnerville-based inventor of the Precision Hoof Pick — which allows horse riders and owners to evaluate hoof health, structure and growth — will speak at the event. 7 p.m. Thursday. $10. Route 67 Country Store & Cafe’, 1958 Amsterdam Road, Charlton. 882-7347; http://www.rt67cafe.com

Classical music

Richard Slade is a tenor who’s been around. For starters, Slade has toured the U.S. and Europe as a member of the Yale Whiffenpoofs, the New York City Opera and the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players. He’s sung with the Long Island Philharmonic and has made several appearances at Katonah’s Caramoor Festival, in “La gazza ladra,” “Lucrezia Borgia” and “Il pirata.” He’s performed in a revival of Donizetti’s “Gianni di Parigi” and he sang the role of Thaddeus in the Kaye Playhouse’s 150th anniversary performance of “The Bohemian Girl.” Slade, a member of the New York City-based a cappella group The Western Wind, is also a teacher; he directs choirs in New Rochelle, Hastings and New York City. Slade is set to perform at UAlbany this week as part of the school’s Bel Canto series. On Thursday, he will sing Schumann’s “Dichterliebe” and pieces by Purcell, Faure, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, Vaughan Williams and others. On Friday, he’ll talk about his life and career with UAlbany voice coach Frances Wittmann in “The Singer’s Life.” 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 3 p.m. Friday. $4-$8 Thursday; free Friday. Recital Hall, UAlbany Performing Arts Center, Washington Avenue Uptown campus, Albany. 442-3997; http://www.albany.edu/pac

Film

In “Freedom Riders,” filmmaker Stanley Nelson focuses on a group of 400 black and white civil rights activists who, in 1961, spent six months traveling through the Deep South on buses and trains. Their goal: to test a Supreme Court decision that outlawed the racial segregation of restaurants and waiting areas in interstate train and bus terminals. To do that, they got in buses and trains and rode into the South, challenging local Jim Crow laws and state laws that protected segregation. The Riders were met with blatant racism; some were beaten, arrested or imprisoned. The violent reception they received made national headlines and turned many heads — including that of President John F. Kennedy — toward the mounting civil rights movement. Five months later, the Interstate Commerce Commission issued an order to end segregation in bus and rail stations — a hard-fought victory for the Riders. In his movie, Nelson talks with several Riders, journalists who covered the story and state and federal government officials. Producer Laurens Grant will be on hand for a question-and-answer session after a screening of the movie this week at MASS MoCA. 7:30 p.m. Thursday. $8 adults; $5 students. Club B-10, MASS MoCA, 87 Marshall St., North Adams, Mass. 413-662-2111; http://www.massmoca.org

Benefit

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has dubbed its seventh annual fundraiser “A Taste of Compassion” for good reason: It’s a wine-tasting to help find a cure for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma. The event, which includes live music by the T.S. Ensemble, dancing, light fare and live and silent auctions, will raise dollars that will go to research, education and patient services, and to improve the quality of life for patients and their families. Last year, the Society’s fundraiser was a sellout; it raised more than $70,000 for its fight against blood cancers. Companies and vineyards providing wines for the event include the Delicato Family Vineyards, E&J Gallo Winery, Joseph Carr Wines, Hudson Chatham Winery, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, T. Edward Wines, Trinchero Family Estates and Yellow Tail. 7 p.m. Friday. $60-$75. Crowne Plaza Hotel, State and Lodge streets, Albany. 438-3583;http://www.lls.org/unywinetasting

4 Responses

Complaint: can we get a roundup of stuff that’s actually local? Mass Moca is wonderful but over an hour’s drive.

This sounds like a minor gripe, but it really isn’t. There’s a lot of stuff going on in this area that could use the space and exposure. I know I’ve missed out on more than one event I would’ve liked to have attended due to underexposure in the local media, and stuff like this is exactly why.

I agree that there are many great arts & entertainment events that take place in the immediate Capital Region that could use more media exposure.

But I believe that a great disservice would be done to readers by narrowly limiting the geographic borders of however you decide to define “the Capital Region.”

For example, I live in Rensselaer County, and for me, places like Barrington Stage Co. and the Colonial Theatre (both in Pittsfield) are closer than, say, Homemade Theater and SPAC (both in Saratoga Springs). And Hudson is closer than Schenectady.

I prefer to take a broad geographic viewpoint – one that would stretch at least from MASS MoCA in North Adams to Glimmerglass Opera in Cooperstown, a pair of world-class arts organizations that we should be proud to embrace as our own.

I agree with Kevin…include more “really local” events…not to the exclusion of regional events like those you list of course. There is plenty going on closer to home and, considering the price of gas, I’d like to know about them as well.

Thank you for posting this, I went yesterday with the wife and two kids and had a great time. Fantastic Buildings and incredible art work plus activities for the kids (ages 4 and 7)made this a great event for the whole family. If this event had not been posted on your blog, there is no way I would have heard of it. Thank you for posting notices from outside of the Capital District !

I also used the Table Hopping blog to look up good places to eat in North Adams and thoroughly enjoyed the lobster bisque at Boston Seafood.